Waking Up
by That70sshowlova
Summary: "I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory." Set during New Moon.


Summary: **"I do a good job of blocking painful, unnecessary things from my memory." Set during New Moon.**

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><p><em>"You… don't… want me?" I tried out the words, confused by the way they sounded, placed in that order.<em>

_"No."_

_I stared, uncomprehending, into his eyes. He stared back without apology. His eyes were like topaz–hard and clear and very deep. I felt like I could see into them for miles and miles, yet nowhere in their bottomless depths could I see a contradiction to the word he'd spoken._

_"Well, that changes things." I was surprised by how calm and reasonable my voice sounded. It must be because I was so numb. I couldn't realize what he was telling me. It still didn't make any sense._

_He looked away into the trees as he spoke again. "Of course, I'll always love you… in a way. But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm… tired of pretending to be something I'm not, Bella. I am not human." He looked back, and the icy planes of his perfect face were not human. "I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry for that."_

_"Don't." My voice was just a whisper now; awareness was beginning to seep through me, trickling like acid through my veins. "Don't do this."_

_He just stared at me, and I could see from his eyes that my words were far too late. He already had._

_"You're not good for me, Bella."_

_He turned his earlier words around, and so I had no argument. How well I knew that I wasn't good enough for him. _

_I opened my mouth to say something, and then closed it again. He waited patiently, his face wiped clean of all emotion. I tried again._

_"If… that's what you want."_

_He nodded once._

_My whole body went numb. I couldn't feel anything below the neck._

_"I would like to ask one favor, though, if that's not too much," he said._

_I wonder what he saw on my face, because something flickered across his own face in response. But, before I could identify it, he'd composed his features into the same serene mask._

_"Anything," I vowed, my voice faintly stronger._

_As I watched, his frozen eyes melted. The gold became liquid again, molten, burning down into mine with an intensity that was overwhelming._

_"Don't do anything reckless or stupid," he ordered, no longer detached. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"_

_I nodded helplessly._

_His eyes cooled, the distance returned. "I'm thinking of Charlie, of course. He needs you. Take care of yourself–for him."_

_I nodded again. "I will," I whispered._

_He seemed to relax just a little._

_"And I'll make you a promise in return," he said. "I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me. I won't come back. I won't put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I'd never existed."_

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><p>The light streaming in her window woke her up. There's a surprise, since when was it <em>ever<em> Sunny in Forks? She shrugged lightly and looked over at the clock on her dresser. It was early. Charlie shouldn't have left for work yet. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, smiling at the sun.

She walked downstairs, her eyes still a little bleary from sleep. "'Morning, Dad." She mumbled as she made a beeline towards the cabinet where they kept the cereal. She smiled at him, but it wavered, when she saw the blatant shock on his face. "Are you okay?"

He continued to look at her. "Are _you_ okay?"

She nodded, giving a hesitant smile. "Yeah. I'm great, actually, it's sunny out. Surprising, huh?"

"Uh, yeah. I–I told you it would be."

"Did you?" She asked. She racked her brain, trying to remember what he had said, except she couldn't. He nodded, confirming her question. "Oh, hm, I must have been tired last night. Hey, Dad? What day is it?"

"Saturday." he answered.

She blinked. "I could have sworn it was Sunday. What _date_, Dad?"

He stared at her, puzzlement in his eyes. "January, seventeenth."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "I must have been _really_ asleep, huh? I could have sworn it was late December."

He grinned uneasily. "Maybe it was a dream."

She nodded. "Yeah, maybe."

"Have you talked to Jessica or Angela lately?"

She frowned as she spooned her cereal in her mouth. "I...don't know." she smiled at him. "I'll call them later. What are you doing today, Dad? Do you have work today?"

"No, actually I was thinking about going fishing."

"Do you mind if I join you?" she asked.

He looked surprised, but beamed anyway. "I would love that, Bells."

"Great!" she said enthusiastically. "Let me finish up breakfast here and I'll go get changed."

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><p>Alice Cullen had promised her brother Edward that she wouldn't check up on Bella. What he didn't know though, was that she crossed her fingers behind her back. She had been looking at Bella's future. Alice was in agony, seeing the way Bella would curl into herself on the bed, stare blankly at everything. It was like she was just <em>gone<em>, but today, Alice saw the greatest surprise. Bella was up, she was walking, talking, eating. She was happy, like Edward didn't rip her heart out of her chest.

Alice smiled, her face stretching in the widest grin. "Jazz!" she squealed. Her and Jasper shared everything, that's just how their relationship was. If something was wrong, he could feel it, if something was wrong, she could see it. There were no secrets between them. No matter how hard they tried to hide each others Christmas presents. "Come here!"

Jasper was by her side in a second, smiling that she was smiling, finally. "Why are you so happy?"

"It's Bella." she explained. "She's better now."

He frowned. "Just like that?"

Alice nodded. "Just like that." She hugged him out of sheer excitement. "I'm so happy for her. I was so worried that he had done permanent damage. Now that's she worked it out, can we see her, Jazz?"

Jasper thought for a moment. "It'll be a long trip from New York."

"I think she's worth it."

Jasper grinned and kissed her. "I think she is too."

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><p>The next night, Bella hummed to herself as she made her and Charlie dinner.<p>

"Smells good, Bells." Charlie said as he threw away his Coke can.

"Does steak sound good, Dad?" she asked.

He nodded. "Absolutely. Do you mind if we watch the game during dinner?"

She smiled. "Course not."

"Thanks!" he said. He grabbed another Coke from the refrigerator. Bella didn't see it, but when he started to walk back to the living room, he turned around to look at her, fearful that she would slink back into her depression.

A knock sounded at the door and Bella called that she would get it. She dried off her hands on a nearby rag and went to open the door. A short girl with a very pale complexion and inky black hair grinned at her from the doorway. She was beautiful, there was no doubt, with her wide, golden eyes and petite figure. Her innocent smile widened when she got a good look of Bella.

The tall man with her looked guilt ridden. He had wavy blonde hair that nearly reached his shoulders. His pale skin was littered with crescent scars she could barely make out by the artificial light. He had dark amber eyes that held sorrow. The lines on his face showed stress and desperation.

"Bella!" the short one shrieked. She attack Bella in a hug. "It's great to see you. I'm so sorry about leaving so abruptly. We were both so worried about you."

Bella pulled gently albeit uncomfortably out of her arms. "Do I know you?"

Alice frowned and then laughed sardonically. "Ha-ha, yeah, I get it, 'Do I even know you anymore?'. Seriously, Bella, I _am_ sorry, Edward was so insistent, he begged and then threatened. I didn't want to leave you–"

"I'm sorry," Bella interrupted. "I think you might have confused me with someone else. I have no clue who you are."

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><p><strong>I, myself, can't continue this, but if anyone would like to, just tell me. :)<strong>

** I also have another idea for Twilight that I cannot write, and if you are interested in it, then PM me. **


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